1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for producing a beverage from an infusible beverage preparation and, in particular, to a portable beverage infusion device for preparing a single serving beverage and a method of making such device.
2. Description of Related Art
Numerous devices have been disclosed for preparing infusible beverage substances or preparations such as coffee, tea or the like. Among these are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,410,550, 4,211,156, 4,465,697, 4,699,794, 4,717,016, 4,806,369, 4,826,695, 4,981,588, and 5,605,710, and in defensive publication T973,014.
A particularly useful beverage infusion device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,868 which is directed to a collapsible infusion device which has a tubular handle into which may be received a tubular body containing the infusible beverage preparation.
While these devices have been useful, and the ""868 device in particular is space saving, none of these devices have been particularly easy or inexpensive to manufacture.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a beverage infusion device which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a beverage infusion device which is particularly suitable for mass production.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage infusion device which increases contact area between the liquid, such as hot water, and the infusible beverage preparation, such as coffee, to facilitate greater flow of the liquid through the beverage preparation.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a beverage device which meets the aforementioned criteria.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The above and other objects, which will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, are achieved in the present invention which provides, in one aspect, a beverage infusion device comprising a handle, a support member extending from the handle, and a flexible porous member having first and second ends and an unfolded width between the first and second ends greater than the support member. The porous member is adapted to contain an infusible beverage preparation. The first and second ends of the porous member are supported by the support member with the porous member in a folded position. Upon immersion of the porous member in a liquid, the porous member expands to facilitate infusion of a beverage preparation therein into the liquid.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a beverage infusion device comprising a handle, a support member extending from the handle having a pair of legs spaced apart by a predetermined width, and a flexible porous member having an unfolded width greater than the predetermined width attached to each of the support legs. The porous member is adapted to contain an infusible beverage preparation. The porous member is supported by the support legs in a folded position wherein, upon immersion of the porous member in a liquid, the porous member expands to facilitate infusion of a beverage preparation therein into the liquid.
Either of the aforementioned devices may include a plurality of the flexible porous members supported by the support member or support legs. Preferably, the support member and support legs are flat and have opposite sides, and the support member or support legs support the porous member on each of the opposite sides. In the folded position, the porous member may have a plurality of folds across its width, for example, folds adjacent the first and second ends and an unfolded portion therebetween. The first and second ends of the porous member are preferably heat bonded to the support member or support legs. Most preferably, the porous member comprises a pouch of filter material, with the infusible beverage preparation being adapted to be received within the pouch.
In the case of the device having the support legs, the handle is of a configuration to fit between the pair of legs such that the handle and the legs may be stamped from a single piece of stock. The handle may be integral with the support member and stamped from the same piece of flat stock selected from the group consisting of paper- or plastic-based materials.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a beverage infusion device comprising a support member having a pair of legs spaced apart by a predetermined width, a flexible porous member attached to each of the support legs, the porous member adapted to contain an infusible beverage preparation and a handle extending from the support member, the handle being of a configuration to fit between the pair of legs such that the handle and the legs may be stamped from a single piece of stock. Preferably, the handle is integral with the support member and stamped from the same piece of flat stock selected from the group consisting of paper- or plastic-based materials.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method of making a beverage infusion device comprising providing flat stock of a material which is foodsafe and stable in hot water and stamping from the flat stock a plurality of beverage infusion device support members. Each of the support members has at one end a pair of legs spaced apart by a predetermined width and at an opposite end a handle. The handle is of a configuration to fit between the pair of legs, such that a handle of one support member is stamped from a region of the flat stock between legs of a preceding or subsequent support member. The method includes attaching to the legs of the support members a flexible porous member, the porous member adapted to contain an infusible beverage preparation.
Preferably, in each of the support members, the handle is integral with the legs and is stamped from the same piece of flat stock selected from the group consisting of paper- or plastic-based materials. The method may further include inserting an infusible beverage preparation into the flexible porous member.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of infusing a beverage into a liquid comprising providing a beverage infusion device having a handle; a support member extending from the handle; and a flexible porous member having first and second ends and an unfolded width between the first and second ends greater than the support member. The porous member contains an infusible beverage preparation, and the first and second ends of the porous member are supported by the support member with the porous member in a folded position. The method includes immersing the porous member in a liquid and expanding the porous member to facilitate infusion of a beverage preparation therein into the liquid. Preferably, the device includes a plurality of flexible porous members supported by the support member, wherein the plurality of flexible porous members become spaced upon immersing in the liquid and expanding.